About AC

Overview of the Commission

The existence of the IWF Athletes Commission is consecrated at the highest level in the IWF Constitution – Article 36.

The IWF By-Laws regulate the purpose, functions, and composition of the IWF Athletes Commission, as follows:

The Athletes Commission is established as an IWF Commission with the fundamental purpose to champion the voice of the athletes within the IWF and the Sport.

Objectives and Functions

(a) The Athletes Commission is an IWF Commission, and an important link between the active athletes and the Federation.

(b) The Athletes Commission ensures that the athletes’ points of view are taken into account in Federation decisions, including those made by the Executive Board and by the Congress.

(c) The Athletes Commission ensures respect is given to the rights of the athletes within the Federation, and the Athletes Commission draws up recommendations to that effect.

(d) The Athletes Commission will have representatives sit on the Executive Board and the IWF Commissions and IWF Committees, in each case as provided for in the Constitution.

(e) The Athletes Commission is to forward its recommendations and proposals to the Executive Board subject to the approval, after discussion within the Athletes Commission, of the majority of the Athletes Commission members present.

(f) The Athletes Commission shall be, and shall operate as an effective platform where the views of athletes within the Sport are represented, and the voice of those athletes can be heard by advising the Executive Board on matters concerning athletes involved in the Sport.

(g) The Athletes Commission shall liaise as necessary with the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, WADA Athlete Council and be represented at the IOC International Athletes’ Forum and the Annual WADA Symposium.

(h) The Athletes Commission will provide the voice and view of the athletes to each of the current standing IWF Committees and IWF Commissions.

(i) The Athletes Commission members shall be accessible and visible at major events and youth events to other members and athletes of the Federation. Details of all Athletes Commission members will be published on the Website in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution.

(i) Athletes’ Declaration: The Athletes Commission will work with the Federation and the Executive Board, to adopt the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration.

Composition

(a) Term of office – The term of office of Athletes Commission members is a maximum of four (4) years, or less in the case of filling a casual vacancy. The chairperson of the Athletes Commission and each of the Athletes Commission members may be re elected.

(b) The election process for the subsequent Athletes Commissions will be determined by the Executive Board subject to the final approval of the Electoral Commission.

(c) The Athletes Commission shall be made up of no more than eleven (11) members and will have a balance of male and female members and representation from different continents who are eligible according to the criteria outlined in section (d) below. The Athletes Commission must at all times have at least four (4) members who are female, and four (4) members who are male. No more than three (3) Athletes Commission members can be appointed from any single continent.

(d) Athletes Commission members shall be elected based on the following eligibility criteria:

(i) Athlete must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at time of application.

(ii) The Commission should be composed of a majority of athletes who, at the time of their election/nomination, are participating at international level or have done so within the previous four years.

(iii) A person is ineligible for appointment if the person has at any time been found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

(iv) The person must have represented their National Federation in at least one (1) 35 of the following:

• At least one (1) of the two (2) most-recent Olympic Games.
• At least one (1) of the two (2) most-recent Youth Olympic Games.
• At least one (1) of the two (2) most-recent Youth, Junior, or Senior World Championships.
• The most-recent Continental Championships or Games

(v) The working language of the Federation is English and the candidates must have a minimum of a conversational capability.

(e) Chair of the Commission – the Athletes Commission members shall elect their chairperson from among those members who have been elected to the Athletes Commission by their peers, and the chairperson may serve in this role for up to four (4) years, after which the term of office may be renewed.

(f) The Commission will have three (3) voting seats on the Executive Board. These seats will be made up of the chairperson and two (2) other Athletes Commission members, as determined by the Athletes Commission.